Feedback

* Tex, Newport News: I like your sticky patches on the upper left side. I just pull them off and stick on people I don't like so I don't have to look at them. It serves a useful purpose.

* Allen M.: Why did my Aug. 15 paper have an advertising decal applied over the letterhead for Hampton Hearing Aids? This also covered the photos of the headlines. Is this a new practice?

Editor: Yes, it is. Those ads attract attention, but they should peel off to reveal the newspaper content underneath. And, apparently, they can be reused.

* Jean: I just called the newspaper with a little problem that I had trying to get in touch with tax relief and I want you to know that I got (Region-State Editor) Dave Hendrickson on the phone, and he is a marvel. He got on the computer, he helped find the information I needed, and I shall forever bless him. He's a tremendous help. Thank you very much.

* Andy: I was reading the Aug. 10 article, "As war goes on, Army responds to recruiting woes." I noted this young lady has joined the Army, and she is going to what they call "boot camp." I'm an old Korean War veteran of the Army and it was called "basic training" when I was in 50-some years ago. Only Marines and Navy services called it boot camp. Does it apply to the Army now, or is it still basic training?

Editor: Researcher Tracy Sorensen reports that it's true that each branch of the military has its own name for the initial training of its recruits. The Navy is the only branch that officially calls it Boot Camp, but in common usage, all of this recruit training is often referred to as boot camp. Here are the other official names: Army, Basic Combat Training; Marines, Marine Corps Recruit Training; Air Force, Air Force Basic Military Training; Coast Guard, Coast Guard Recruit Training.

* Andrew, Williamsburg: What's the deal with "B.C."? Johnny Hart died and that collection of recycled vaudeville jokes, Republican talking points and religious conservatism was supposed to end. Now they have some guy named Mason drawing it. Let's can that junk and find a new and hopefully funny comic for that slot. Hope you'll consider that.

Editor: It's still popular with some readers, but comics changes are always under consideration.

* Woody, James City: You have quite adequately covered the meetings and formal voting membership of the Hampton Roads Transportation Authority. However, I have seen nothing about the administrative staff, such as staffing size, staff salaries, current and historical budgets, planned expansion or other operational and administrative details.

Editor: As we have reported, authority staffing is to be provided by the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission.

* Question about photo red: what is the criterion for getting a red-light ticket under photo red because there seems to be a fuzzy definition of when you run a red light.

Editor: The photo is supposed to help with that; if the light is red and the car's entering the intersection, that's not fuzzy. According to the law, an officer will review the photographs and determine if the driver has run the red light. *

Today's Feedback responses were written by Robin McCormick, deputy editor.